Magia
by trenchcoat-in-the-garrison
Summary: (Omegaverse AU) Dean and Castiel are students of magic under the same teacher. It's a lifelong study though, so both are away from their families from a young age. Together they grow up year by year, finding themselves and each other.
1. Chapter 1

Dean was just seven years old when he met Castiel for the first time and the two were opposites. Castiel came from a well off family; Dean's sometimes struggled with the bills. Castiel was dark hair and pale skin; Dean was tan and light-haired. Omega and alpha. Bookish and action prone.

What they did have in common was that they have been born with a gift for magic. Most people did not have such abilities and both were lucky that their family supported them studying the art to become mages in their own rights. It was a lifelong study, as there was always more to learn, but both would have to apprentice under a master mage from childhood until they could pass their exam to be licensed as mages. From there they could move on to various occupations or continue to study for the mastery exam to become master mages themselves. That was a long ways off though.

* * *

Dean stared at the other child standing in the doorway with Master behind him. "Dean, this is Castiel. He's another apprentice that's going to be learning with you. And that means sharing the quarters." Castiel's fingers fidgeted on the handle of his suitcase, drawing Dean's eyes to it. He noted that it looked brand new. That did not surprise him. Children who left home to study magic spent most of their lives until adulthood living with their master. There were visits to home for holidays and such, but some would forgo it thanks to the rigors of magic study. This kid's family had clearly wanted him to visit, given the new luggage that would last many many trips. Dean knew his family wanted him to come home and visit as well but his case had been old and worn through years of loving use. It still had the scent of home to it though, something Dean had been comforted by on the several hour trip to Master's.

"Top bunk's mine," Dean told the other child from his position stretched out on his stomach on said bunk.

"That's fine." Dean's interest piqued at the nervousness in Castiel's voice. Master leaned down and said something to the young omega, too softly for Dean to hear before comfortingly patting his arm and stepping out to leave the two to themselves. Dean watched Castiel curiously as the other put his suitcase on the lower bunk and started unpacking slowly and deliberately.

"First time away from home?" He asked curiously, getting a silent nod in response. "You'll be fine," He told the other before rolling over onto his back and starting to draw his fingers slowly through the air, leaving behind colorful trails to make images that shimmered.

* * *

Dean found himself repeating those words to Castiel that very night as he cried from homesickness in the darkness, laying with him on the lower bunk. And again each night after until their room became home.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean was 8 years old when he took Castiel outside.

* * *

From the day that Dean moved to the town that Master lived in, Dean did not really have any trouble making friends. Whenever he finished his work for the day, he was always rushing out the door to try and meet up with other local children for a few hours of fun before it got dark. He never even noticed that Castiel never joined them. Not until Master grabbed his shoulder to stop him at the door.

"And where would you be going?" Master asked with a quirked brow as Dean's hand hovered over the handle of the back door that would take him out to the alley where he normally met the children that he would play with.

"To play. You said that me and Cas could go out when we finished our work as long as we got back when it started getting dark."

"Cas and I." The correction of Dean's grammar came first before the gentle tug away from the door as Master squatted down to Dean's level. "Does Castiel ever actually join you and the other children when you play? I'm growing worried about how much time he's spending here alone."

"If he wanted to come and play with us, he would," Dean shot back defensively, suddenly feeling like he was being asked to drag a kid brother along with him. Sam had been too young to come with him when he had left home, but he knew what the feeling felt like from friends with siblings only a year younger talking about it. "It's not my fault that he wants to stay all boring."

"Is that what he told you? Did you ever actually invite him to play with you?" Master asked curiously and Dean had to look away when he could not give an answer to that. "Not everyone is so outgoing as you are Dean. Perhaps you should ask Castiel to join you."

"If he wanted to come he would say so!" Dean shot back irritably. It felt like Master was blaming him for the way that the other student did not come out in the afternoons. That was not his fault. Cas was the one who wanted to stay inside with his books all the time. The young alpha pulled his shoulder out of Master's touch and bolted out the door, not bothering to look back.

* * *

It was several hours before Dean returned, waiting until the last second when the street lamps started being lit just to avoid Master and Cas. He made the choice to avoid the dinner he knew would be waiting in the kitchen and just snuck into the shared quarters, surprised to see Castiel there with one of his thick novels. He had his knees drawn up to his chest with the book balanced on them, face blank as his eyes flicked over the page. They jumped up to Dean when there was movement at the door and he gave the other boy a tiny smile. "Welcome back, Dean." Dean frowned a little as he made his way over.

"Why do you read so much instead of going outside?" He asked bluntly as he reached out to tip the book so he could look at the cover and see what it was. Castiel let him, keeping fingers on the page so it wouldn't be lost.

"Because I can do it on my own. I haven't exactly made any friends yet and since most of the other kids around here have probably known each other since they could walk...I don't think I'd really fit in," Castiel admitted with a little shrug before stuffing a bookmark into his book and shutting it. "It's just easier to stay home and read."

"You'd fit. I fit." Castiel dissolved into giggles at that.

"I'm not like you at all. I'm not good at talking with people I don't know. The only reason I do so well with you is because we're kinda stuck together." Dean frowned and folded his arms.

"Well you would. You're coming with me tomorrow. You have to go outside or you'll turn so white you look like a ghost," Dean determined, leaving no room for argument as he clambered up into his bunk.

* * *

It took nearly a week before Castiel actually started playing with Dean and the other children instead of standing awkwardly nearby and watching them all. Dean had to do most of the talking for him for nearly a month before the others even heard his voice once.


End file.
